Steering improvement?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 308
Likes: 4
From: Tennessee, USA
Red GLK350, blue '87 Toyota Land Cruiser
Steering improvement?
Just wondering if MB has improved the GLK steering with regards to centering after a turn over the non-existant function in my '11.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 861
Likes: 38
From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
Your steering feel is probably a poorly adjusted alignment. Your caster angle might be too close to "0" or your steering axis inclination might be wrong (see attached). The original theory behind the Strut was that it was easy to adjust geometry to match a particular race course. Car manufacturers embraced it in the '70's because it meant that the front engine, front wheel drive and suspension could be manufactured as a module on a sub-frame and installed as a single unit greatly reducing assembly costs. Notice most of the bigger expensive cars have gone back to unequal A-arms. Strut alignment is very sensitive to proper adjustment and any thing that deforms the shock towers, as this is the upper alignment point, will affect handling .
If your MB feels light on the front end and does not have good directional stability or self-centering, it is probably in need of alignment. I am told that the GLK needs special alignment tooling not normally found outside the dealership. I do not know if this is true or not, but the vehicle needs alignment.
If your MB feels light on the front end and does not have good directional stability or self-centering, it is probably in need of alignment. I am told that the GLK needs special alignment tooling not normally found outside the dealership. I do not know if this is true or not, but the vehicle needs alignment.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 308
Likes: 4
From: Tennessee, USA
Red GLK350, blue '87 Toyota Land Cruiser
This issue has come up before and several people commented that they had every type of aligment done by dealers and specialty shops and still the centering is poor. Just today I did a slow full lock turn and the wheel never moved when I let it go, just kept going in a circle. Poor geometry.
3.5L, we used to call them suicide knobs. Haven't seen one in ages.
3.5L, we used to call them suicide knobs. Haven't seen one in ages.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 861
Likes: 38
From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
Funny, We use to call them ' Necker Knobs". You could drive your '58 396 Chevelle with you left hand and be 'necking' with your right arm around your girl. Of course that was back in the bench seat days when all she had to straddle was the Hurst. Until you got to the dive-in.
Seems we could leave figure 8 tire tracks with the knob. No problem-O
Seems we could leave figure 8 tire tracks with the knob. No problem-O
